Automotive Exports March 2021

European Union’s total imports in 2020,
according to EU statistical body Eurostat.
This, Pekcan said, enabled Turkey to
outperform Norway, South Korea and
Japan to rank sixth in the bloc’s overall
imports.
“Since 2015, Turkey has been the only
country to increase its share in EU imports
for five consecutive years,” the minister
said.
The government is closely monitoring all
factors, including excessive increases in raw
material prices caused by the pandemic,
difficulties and imbalances observed in
logistics and volatility in international
financial markets, Pekcan said, stressing
that steps would be taken in favor of
producers and exporters within this
framework.
She said the steps to be soon taken within
the scope of the government’s reform
process would help strengthen investments
and production, also boosting exports.
“In the coming periods, we will work
together with all our exporters to increase
and deepen our share in all our target
markets, especially the EU, with more
domestic production and more valueadded
exports,” Pekcan noted.
TIM’s Gülle said they conduced 55 virtual
trade delegations and 10 virtual fairs in 50
countries since May last year, looking to
continue with face-to-face delegations as of
the summer months.
Works on logistics centers near completion
Works on the logistics centers to be
established abroad to facilitate exporters’
access to other markets is approaching
completion, he noted.
“We plan to establish these logistics
centers in three cities in the United States
and Africa’s Ghana. Bureaucratically, we
have brought the documents to the final
stage,” Gülle informed.
“I believe that these logistics centers will
double our exports to the regions where
they are established and will support our
exporters in distant markets.”
Some 1,538 firms have made their first
exports ever in February, Gülle said,
carrying out around $70.48 million worth
of sales. A total of 40,616 companies made
exports in the month.
Below are details of data on February
exports:
•Germany was Turkey’s top market in
February as it received nearly $1.5 billion
worth of goods
•The U.K. and U.S. followed with $968
million and $917 million, respectively
•22 sectors increased their exports
compared to a year earlier
•The automotive industry again ranked first
with around $2.54 billion worth of exports
•Chemicals and ready-to-wear sectors
followed with $1.68 billion and $1.52
billion, respectively
•The mining sector saw the highest
increase in sales with 47% to $415 million
•The defense and aviation sector followed
with a 34% increase to $233.2 million
•Sales to the U.S. were up $177 million in
the month, said Gülle. Other noteworthy
rises occurred in exports to the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) and Germany with $175
million and $159 million.
Exports to the EU, the country’s largest
market, surged by 11.8%, reaching a
volume of $6.87 billion and holding a
42.9% share, he noted.
Among others, some $2.75 billion worth
of exports were made to Middle East
countries, while the African continent
received $1.57 billion worth of Turkish
goods. Around $1.3 billion worth of sales
were made to Far East countries, while
exports to North America amounted to
$989 million, Gülle added.
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March 2021